1 AIT Asian Institute of Technology

Community participation in natural fishery resource management for rural poverty alleviation in Stung Treng Province, Cambodia

AuthorChea Vannaren
Call NumberAIT Thesis no.RD-02-09
Subject(s)Fishery management Cambodia Stung Treng Citizen participation

NoteA thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science
PublisherAsian Institute of Technology
AbstractThe project of the community-based fishery resource management has been working in Siem Bok district of Stung Treng province, Cambodia since 1998. The project encourages people to participate in natural fishery resource management by forming the village fishery committee and the village fishery regulation. This study aims to assess the fish contribution in household consumption and income in alleviating rural poverty, the extent of people's participation in natural fishery resource management, people's perceptions and attitudes and the factors influencing people's participation. The research also explores the fishery management practiced by the local fishery committee such as the enforcement of the local fishery regulation, fishery conflict resolution, fishery awareness and extension and the problems of fishery resource management by the local community. Based on findings, recommendations are formulated for promoting and strengthening the community participation in natural fishery resource management. It was found that fish consumption contributes to 89 % of total meat consumption of the respondent households. The average per capita fish consumption is 45.5 kg per capita per year, which is higher than human minimal nutritional requirements, at the level of 32 kg fish per capita per year as estimated for the fish-eating societies dietary component. The income from fish contributes 46 % to total household income. Villagers occasionally attend the project meeting and attendants often raise their opinion. All respondents attended the village meeting on formulation the Village Fishery Community Committee (VFCC) and setting up the Village Fishery Community Regulation (VFCR). Villagers contribute to the project activities in term of information, suggestion and voluntary labor for project activities. All respondent's households have been receiving benefits from the process of community fishery project such as the reduction of illegal fishing activities, increase of natural fish stock, increase food supply and income. Most of the respondents do not participate in the process of project evaluation. There were several factors that influenced people's participation in the project: social, economic and institutional factors. All respondents indicate that fishery resource as well as fish production are very important for their households and they perceived the very important role of participation in natural fishery resource conservation. The level of people's awareness towards fishery resource is low, but the respondents who attended fishery training have higher and better fishery awareness. Villagers formulated the VFCR to protect fishery resource from illegal activities. It has given this authority to the VFCC members. It was found that the degree of the VFCR enforcement by the VFCC is strong, which leaded to reduce conflicts by 60 % and the illegal activities were reduced by 95 % if compared to the last five years ago. Although, the fishery resource management by the local community has been encountering many problems, which should be solved immediately.
Year2002
TypeThesis
SchoolSchool of Environment, Resources, and Development (SERD)
DepartmentDepartment of Development and Sustainability (DDS)
Academic Program/FoSRural Development, Gender and Resources (RD)
Chairperson(s)Routray, J ayant K. ;
Examination Committee(s)Soparth Pongquan;Wickramanayake, B. W. E. ;
Scholarship Donor(s)Danish International Development Assistance (DANIDA);
DegreeThesis (M. Sc.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2002


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